


Luminate

by Aereolita



Category: Original Work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-20
Updated: 2015-10-20
Packaged: 2018-04-27 06:03:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5036626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aereolita/pseuds/Aereolita
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I want to live."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Luminate

**Author's Note:**

> [AU where something slightly different happens when Enid kills Clem]

Darkness sprawled from inch to inch of her sight. The cold had frosted her core, but ceased to bother her as she wandered the darkness. Was this the afterlife? Was she doomed to wander by herself forever? As she stepped forward, her foot suddenly made a ripple, reverberating everywhere. Upwards, down, side to side -- the solid black became curtains of ebony, shaking around her as color started to melt into her world.

The ripples transformed into waves, and the black slowly turned sepia as she stood on a shore. A sea separated her and another shore, of which people she knew were standing. Her parents included. Her shore slowly came to meet the other shore, stopping by just an inch. Though she was reminded by how much she loved her parents, she did not feel warm. This was not right.

"Oh, Clementine," Her mother said, "You are so loved and died so young."

"I need to go back!" It wasn't the first thing she had wanted to say her parents when she met them again, but this wasn't right. She didn't belong here, not yet. "My friend, he's in trouble! Everyone is!"

"Very well," Loreta nodded before stepping towards Clementine, "You will be sent back to Earth. However, you only have one day to resolve the conflicts in your heart. By the stroke of midnight, you shall die once again."

Before she could open her mouth in protest, she felt warmth radiate around her as the shore rapidly pulled back, slingshotting her into the world of the living. She woke up with a gasp, in a room she identified as the clinic's. It was dark out, and she noticed an uninjured Vas sitting on a chair next to her bed, his head laying on the bed as he slept.

Clementine checked her shirt and where she remembered being shot -- nothing. Her wounds had healed. She glanced at the clock on the wall nervously -- she had woken up at exactly midnight. She only had twenty-four hours left to do what she needed before she would be gone, forever. Clementine didn't exactly understand why she was being grated this opportunity. Perhaps she had developed a power that allowed her to stay alive a day longer.

 _'Something a little like that happened when Dr. Akira choked me,'_ Clementine thought as she rubbed her neck in memory, _'But I don't remember wandering the afterlife. My parents immediately shoved me out of there. I guess Dr. Akira wasn't strong enough to kill me.'_

A sense of dread washed over her as she realized she only had twenty-four hours to deal with him. And with her aunt, and Vas, and Renix, and everyone and oh God, what was she going to do when she died again? Clementine shook her head lightly. No. This was her second chance at making sure she died without regrets. She couldn't waste a single second. People were sleeping now, which limited what she could do, but if she had one last day on Earth...

...Well, she knew just how to spend her night.

* * *

Whether it be from the magic that put her back in the living world or by her sheer willpower, but she did not feel exhausted at all. In fact, her production levels were incredible. It had taken her two weeks to make a festival for Renix, but it took her just one night to set up the town hall into a ballroom. If she had one day left, she wanted to give everyone a night to remember. Clementine publicized it, and word got out that there was to be a ball tonight. Despite what had happened, people were happy about the distraction.

"Clementine!" As she was chatting to Freesia about it in the early morning, someone tackled her in a hug. Just by the height, she knew it was Vas. "You're awake! God, you were in a coma and we thought -- I thought -- and --" He inhaled, his embrace around her tightening, "You're alive!"

Clementine bit her lip as she felt tears bubble in the corner of her vision. She couldn't cry, she never had, but she was very close. She felt regret, even though she had done nothing wrong and couldn’t change what had happened. She didn’t know how to tell Vas that she was going to die again, that she had another chance at life for one last day.

She didn’t even know what to say. “Vas…” Pulling away from him, she grasped his hands in hers and looked up at him. _‘I’m really going to miss you,’_ She thought, but instead said, “If something like this ever happens to me again, promise you’ll take care of my Aunt for me?” Vas didn’t know she was a soulless, but if there was anyone she could trust with her aunt, it had to be Vas. She didn’t know how he would handle Dr. Akira, but… but he would do it. He would do it for her.

“What?” Vas’s smile faltered before he pulled her close again. Clem squeezed her eyes shut, thinking about how much she would miss his hugs. One might think that the height difference made it awkward, but Clementine loved it. He covered her completely in warmth. She giggled slightly, thinking of him as a very big blanket. “Clem, that’s _never_ going to happen to you again. I promise.”

And for a second, Clementine almost believed him.

* * *

Vas was wearing a suit, something Clementine was not used to seeing him in. It was a white suit, but he looked sharp in it because of his pale complexion. Honestly, how could he travel so much and not get sunburnt? Maybe he did, but never told the stories about that. Regardless, everyone was gathered in the ballroom. There was food, music provided by Renix and his siblings, and fun to be had. Clementine had spent time making other contingency plans for what would happen after she was gone. It was unfair to force Vas to take care of her aunt, and while she knew Renix would happily do it, Renix wasn’t as keen on the soulless issue as Vas was. She didn’t want Renix to abandon her.

Clementine took Vas’s arm as he led her down the marble staircase. She felt the light of the chandeliers nearly burn into her skin as she blushed once she realized everyone’s eyes were on her. She was the star of the ball, everyone was attending for _her._ They were so happy that she was back, and all Clementine felt was a phantom attached to her back, burdening her with feelings of guilt. She hadn’t told anyone that she was going to die in just a few hours. She tried with Vas multiple times, but he was just so happy to have her back, she couldn’t bear it.

While everyone was looking sharp in their suits and dresses, Clementine – who would never admit this herself – was the most stunning. Whether Freesia, whom had made pretty much what everyone was wearing, had done that on purpose or not, Clementine didn’t know. Her hair was tamed into an elegant braid, accented with white flowers that matched her date. _‘Date?’_ She looked up at Vas again, flushing as she returned her attention to the dance floor. It… was nice being with Vas. She enjoyed his company, and thought he was funny. He was tall, handsome, and was still a mystery to her…

Did she… _like_ him? Clementine bit her lip at the thought. That was ridiculous. She didn’t come back from the dead for one day to figure out she may have romantic feelings for someone she would never see again in a few hours! While she nibbled on appetizers nervously and swirled her golden champagne around, she seemed lost in thought. Everyone seemed very happy. She had no doubt that this is what she wanted to do with her last day on Earth.

“Vas,” She started slowly as the two merely watched other couples dance. She wasn’t one for dancing, and she was so nervous as the hours slowly neared midnight, she thought she might vomit if she stepped onto the checkered floor. Vas, the great guy that he was, understood completely and admitted that with his gangly height, dancing was all too awkward for him. But as she saw Celeste and Kusa dance, she was reminded how she hadn’t been filled in on what happened with Enid. The couple didn’t look _happy_ , but then again, they never did. But if Enid was dead, they wouldn’t be here, would they?

“What happened yesterday? Did Enid… Is he --”

“No,” Vas answered quickly, brushing his bangs back with his fingers, “I couldn’t do it. I didn’t have it in me to kill him. He’s in jail. Don’t worry, Clem,” He squeezed her hand, “I promised I would protect you, wouldn’t I?”

Just then, the devil was summoned at their words. Through the ballroom entrance appeared a ragged looking Enid, blood dripping from his attire. A gun that Clementine recognized as Wolfe’s hunting rifle was slung across his shoulder. In his other hand, he held…

“Oh my god,” Clementine breathed, simultaneously fixated but wishing she had the will to look away.

Enid dropped Wolfe’s head on the floor. “To the town that betrayed me,” Enid’s eyes started to scan the ballroom, and Clementine seemed to know exactly what for. No one ran. No one had even screamed. Everyone was shocked. “You’re all idiots to have gathered up in one place, you know?”

Enid thoughtlessly kicked Wolfe’s head to the side as he loaded the hunting rifle. When the audience heard the bullets click into place, that seemed to trigger mass panic. Screams erupted from every direction, Clementine didn’t even know if she herself was screaming. She saw Yale, armed with his daggers, approach Enid with tears in his eyes. The only sound louder than the screaming was the sobbing.

The clock was nearing midnight. “Clementine,” Vas’s voice was soothing, a lifeline in the sea of uncertainty, “I’ll get you out of here.” He wrapped an arm behind her shoulders as he used his imposing height to bowl over people running zigzagged across the floor. She didn’t want to leave and let people die, and she knew Vas didn’t either.  As he shoved her towards the exit and turned back towards where Yale was now lying dead on the floor, eyes still open in shock, Clementine realized that Vas was trying to save her and go back to stop Enid.

If anyone stopped him, it had to be her! Her gaze took note of the time; minutes to midnight.  “Vas,” She reached out to him, pulling him back towards her as the dripping of Enid’s footsteps came closer. There were so many people clogging the exits… but she had to tell Vas to save himself fast!

Clementine’s eyes sparkled, but Vas noted how it wasn’t with happiness. It was urgency, despair. Something was wrong. No – something had been wrong all day. Why hadn’t he sensed it before?

Despite the urgency of the situation, she still had no idea what to say. “My --” She choked up, losing sense of what she wanted to say. The screams were loud. She hadn’t wanted this! She gripped onto Vas’s arms, holding him at length. She couldn’t have him hug her – she wanted that warmth, but it just – it wasn’t _fair._ “My best friend, Vas…”

The seconds ticked down as her grip on Vas’s arms tightened. Her expression scrunched up oddly, as if she sobbing. No tears came out. Every second that ticked by was a pang in her heart, in her throat, and she couldn’t stand it.

She looked up at him, confused golden eyes staring back into hers.

“I want to live.”

The shot rang out.

Clementine collapsed in on herself, sprawling backwards as her anatomy rag dolled and crumpled on the floor. Vas’s horrified expression as he reached out to her etched into her mind, her distorted body hitting the marble floor with a resounding crack. Her skull thudded dully against the marble, leaking out a thick red over the floor she had so painstakingly cleaned earlier that day.

 _‘Was this last day worth it?’_ Clementine thought as her body started to heave its last breaths. Vas entered her vision again as he picked her up, yelling something at her. Why was he yelling? Was he angry? Maybe he should’ve been. She never got to tell him what was going on. It was selfish of her, she supposed. Especially with Enid… She hadn’t expected this to happen! She should’ve – she should’ve – she should’ve done something _different_. Anything but this!

She struggled to come up with the words to tell him how sorry she was, and how stupid this idea was. Vas was crying… and Clementine felt so jealous, how he could be crying so much and she couldn’t shed a tear at all. She didn’t feel sad she was dying, she just felt despondent. At the very least, his tears splattering on her face gave her the simulation that she was crying. It was… good enough.

_‘Did I really come back and do everything I wanted to?’_

And, in the end, Clementine still felt regret.


End file.
